The present invention relates generally to an air assisted spray system and more particularly, to an improved air cap for an air assisted spray gun system.
Spray gun systems for atomizing a pressurized fluid stream with a pressurized gas, such as air, are known in the art. In such systems, the fluid stream is intermixed with pressurized air to breakdown or atomize the fluid stream into very fine particles. The fluid particle breakdown can occur as the fluid is exhausted from an apertured air cap positioned at a nozzle discharge end of the spray gun system.
From efficiency and economic operating viewpoints, it is desirable that such particle breakdown be effected using relatively low air flow rates and pressure. Heretofore, this has created problems. In particular, spray tips or air caps which provide efficient and economic operation are generally relatively complex in design, and hence, are relatively expensive to produce.
Moreover, air caps are also limited in terms of their versatility. For example, such air caps are typically designed for use with a specific air assisted nozzle body configuration. Accordingly, multiple air caps must be provided for each type of nozzle assembly. The relatively high costs of such air caps, therefore, only exacerbates the problem of readily achieving the goal of providing efficient and effective operation of the spray gun system.
The ability to achieve peak air flow volume from the air cap is complicated by numerous considerations. First, during operation of the spray gun system, the pressurized air flow to the air tip can cause back pressure problems within the system. Second, the transition between component parts of the spray gun system, especially at the conjuncture between the air cap and the air passages within the body of the spray gun system can cause turbulence problems, which can adversely affect pressurized air flow to the air cap. The ability to accurately machine discharge orifices or apertures in relatively thin walled parts or sections of parts is also critical for achieving accurate impingement between the pressurized air and the fluid stream exhausted from the air cap.
It would therefore be desirable to have an apparatus and system which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and capable of minimizing back pressure and turbulence within the spray gun system, particularly in the transition area of the air cap and the air flow passages leading from the spray gun system.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and system having apertures configured to discharge pressurized gas toward a pressurized fluid to form a oval-spray pattern.
An improved air cap for an air-assisted spray nozzle assembly of a spray gun system is provided. The air cap includes a center aperture for accommodating an aperture nozzle or tip from whence a pressurized liquid is sprayed. The air cap further includes a plurality of apertures within the air cap housing that directs a pressurized medium toward the aperture tip for atomizing and shaping the liquid flow spraying from the nozzle.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an air cap for an air-assisted spray nozzle assembly includes a body form by a housing having an inner surface which defines a plurality of apertures. The plurality of apertures is configured to pass a pressurized medium, such as air, therethrough. The plurality of apertures includes at least one non-circular orifice through which the pressurized medium passes through.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an air cap for a spray nozzle assembly includes a housing having an inlet end engageable to a discharge end of a spray gun, and an outlet end on an opposite side of the inlet end. The outlet end has a plurality of apertures in an inside surface of the outlet end such that at least one of the plurality of apertures has a non-circular boundary on an inside surface of the outlet end.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a spray gun system is disclosed. The system includes a gun body adapted to receive a pressurized fluid and discharge the pressurized fluid at a nozzle end. The system also includes a nozzle assembly connected to a nozzle end of the gun body. The nozzle assembly includes an air cap having a pair of non-circular apertures on an inside surface of the air cap. Each of the non-circular apertures are in communication with a plurality of discharge apertures that discharge pressurized gas toward a pressurized fluid to form a generally oval-shaped spray pattern.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, an air cap for an air-assisted spray nozzle assembly includes a body having a cylindrical sidewall and an end wall connected to the cylindrical sidewall. The end wall has an inside surface, an outside surface and at least one aperture therein. The inside surface of the end wall has a non-circular opening in fluid communication with the at least one aperture. The outside surface of the end wall has a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the at least one aperture.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings.